Overkill are like heavy metal cockroaches. They’ve been around forever; nothing seems to kill them, and it seems like they will be around long after everyone else is gone. They are also probably one of the hardest working thrash bands around; “The Electric Age” is their sixteenth album. Compare that to Metallica’s nine albums during approximately the same span of time. “Kill ‘Em All” came out in 1983 while “Feel the Fire” was not released until 1985. These guys are machines.

Overkill also happens to be on the short list of my all time favorite metal bands. I’ve often argued that the Big Four should be the Big Seven and include Overkill, Testament and Exodus. Yet Overkill (and Testament and Exodus) always seem to take a back seat when it comes time to hand out credit to metal pioneers. Overkill’s “Taking Over” and “The Years of Decay” albums are integral parts of my metal DNA and I would not be the metal fan I am today without them. I would like to take a moment to thank them for all the music and years of unrelenting service to metal. You guys kick serious ass. Cheers!

After sixteen albums, it would not have surprised me to find that the level of quality had dropped a bit, and maybe they were just going through the motions, but no, Overkill is still as relevant as ever. The band has had a number of lineup changes over the years (Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth and D.D. Verni are the only original members) so maybe that has helped keep a fresh infusion of new blood in the old beast. Damn, though, based on the band’s inception date of 1980 that means Blitz has been screeching for 32 years, and he still sounds phenomenal. He must be the man with the iron vocal chords.

The music on “The Electric Age” is classic sounding Overkill - fairly fast thrash metal complemented by Blitz’s unmistakable vocal style. If you know Overkill, then you know what to expect. This is yet another classic from The Overkill Age.